NIGERIA – The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has recently hosted the Zimbabwean envoy team of three at the SON Corporate Headquarters in Abuja to strengthen bilateral trade relations within the South African Sub-Region.
led by the Counselor and Head of Chancery Zimbabwean Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Tonderah Oscar Mutuke,
The Director-General Mallam Farouk Salim, who was represented by the Director of Product Certification, Mr. Tersoo Orngudwem, asserted that SON is at the forefront of trade when it comes to standardization at both the national and regional levels.
SON is also in charge of establishing and enforcing product standards, guaranteeing the safety and quality of goods, and promoting fair trade practices in Nigeria to protect consumers. It also facilitates trade by preserving an even playing field for all parties involved.
In his response, the DG described the certification and product standards processes as a method to safeguard consumers and advance commerce.
He talked about regulations put in place by SON, such as the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) for locally produced items and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) for imported goods.
In order to safeguard consumers and advance trade, Salim also underlined the significance of rigorous standards and certification procedures.
“Our certification processes help ensure products meet relevant safety and quality standards,” he said.
He declared that he thought this meeting offered SON and ZimTrade the chance to work together.
Additionally, he expressed SON’s dedication to encouraging fair trade practices and guaranteeing the quality and safety of products in Nigeria.
The representative of the Zimbabwean Trade Office, Mr. Kupakwashe Willis Midzi, responded to the SON DG by recognizing the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and Zimbabwe, particularly in their bilateral and diplomatic ties.
He stated that the purpose of the visit was to work together and further solidify those ties for trade and other mutually beneficial agreements.
They chose Nigeria due to a number of reasons, including the country’s success in the trade markets, its position in the value chain, and its ability to meet harmonization standards for better trade ties.
Mr. Midzi noted that economic diplomacy is a crucial component of Zimbabwe’s foreign policy under the direction of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The past 20–40 years have seen economic sanctions against Zimbabwe. It is therefore advantageous for children to understand how to rely on themselves and look within for solutions to their problems.
In order to explore potential markets for trade and investment, ZimTrade is searching for markets in its neighboring nations.
He mentioned that they would be staying in the nation for some time to meet with various Nigerian organizations and stakeholders for trade and investment to see what they can contribute.
Also speaking, Mr. William Gaviyau pointed out that the Nigerian Export Promoting Council, which is comparable to ZimTrade in Zimbabwe, is a government-owned national trade promotion organization (NEPC).
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